


Adrift

by lferion



Category: Doctrine of Labyrinths - Sarah Monette
Genre: Freeverse, Gen, Languages and Linguistics, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-11
Updated: 2012-01-11
Packaged: 2017-10-29 08:49:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/317979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lferion/pseuds/lferion





	Adrift

Thou think'st Caloxa dead, or dying  
Her tongue subsumed, pav'ed over  
With syntax and smooth vowels  
Not declaimed by conquerers or lords  
(Though is their lord's own speech)  
But by the busy lips of gossips,  
By taxmen and Intendeds  
And all the prideful flock of those  
Who assume Caloxa backward,  
Unlettered and uncouth, in need  
Of civilizing, and seduce  
With good intent so mixed with  
Pride, or greed, or ignorance of Other,  
And with such inexorable force  
That all must break; no bending will suffice.

And yet I say thee nay, will not, is not so.  
Caloxa lives in you.

(Found by Mildmay Foxe, a loose single sheet tucked into one of the Duke of Murtagh's daybooks left behind after a visit to Grimglass. It was not written in the Duke's hand. Some speculate it was written by Duchess Isobel. What is apparent is that the subject is almost certainly Kay Brightmore, sometime Margrave of Rothmarlin.)


End file.
